seasonsoflove's 75 Books Challenge

This looks like a lot of fun! I already keep a journal of what I read, so this is just a great extension of that :) I'll try to leave reviews for the books I read from now on, but if you want to know how I liked a book feel free to leave a comment and ask :)


1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. Vienna Blood by Frank Tallis
3. Partners in Crime by Agatha Christie
4. Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston
5. The Strange Death of Napolean Bonaparte by Jerry Labriola
6. Cover Her Face by P.D. James
7. The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare by Lillian Jackson Braun
8. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
9. Murderers Prefer Blondes by Amanda Matetsky
10. Overture to Death by Ngaio Marsh
11. Interred with Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell
12. An English Murder by Cyril Hare
13. Blue Blood by Susan McBride
14. Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates
15. The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
16. Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe by Anthony Summers
17. Cross Country by James Patterson
18. Dracula by Bram Stoker
19. The Female of the Species by Joyce Carol Oates
20. The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie
21. The Night Following by Morag Joss
22. Hello, Darkness by Sandra Brown
23. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
24. The Survivor's Club by Lisa Gardner
25. Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz
26. Defending Angels by Mary Stanton
27. In a Dark Season by Vicki Lane
28. Go Fug Yourself: The Fug Awards by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
29. Dying by the Sword by Sarah D'Almeida
30. Another Dead Teenager by Mark Richard Zubro
31. Undead and Uneasy by Mary Janice Davidson
32. Perish by Pedicure by Nancy J. Cohen
33. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
34. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
35. The Freedom Writers Diary by The Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell
36. Hello, Gorgeous by MaryJanice Davidson
37. Death Trick by Richard Stevenson
38. Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose
39. Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl
40. Mr. White's Confession by Robert Clark
41. Wake by Lisa McMann
42. Columbine by Dave Cullen
43. The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte
44. The Museum of Dr. Moses by Joyce Carol Oates
45. By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie
46. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
47. A Charmed Death by Madelyn Alt
48. No Room for Doubt by Angela Dove
49. The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly
50. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
51. Daemon by Daniel Suarez
52. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
53. The Beach House by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge
54. The Beautiful Cigar Girl: Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Invention of Murder by Daniel Stashower
55. Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
56. Promise Not to Tell by Jennifer McMahon
57. The Writing Class by Jincy Willett
58. A Mind to Murder by P.D. James
59. A Little Class on Murder by Carolyn G. Hart
60. Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon
61. The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine
62. Dismantled by Jennifer McMahon
63. Fade by Lisa McMann
64. Envy: A Luxe Novel by Anna Godbersen
65. Night Work by Laurie King
66. Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married by Marian Keyes
67. Strangers in Paradise (Volume 1) by Terry Moore
68. Dear Husband by Joyce Carol Oates
69. The Cat Who Played Brahms by Lillian Jackson Braun
70. The Riverman: Ted Bundy and I Hunt for the Green River Killer by Robert Keppel
71. Run for Your Life by James Patterson
72. Murder Walks the Plank by Carolyn G. Hart
73. Quick Study by Maggie Barbieri
74. The Cat Who Blew the Whistle by Lillian Jackson Braun
75. The Best British Mysteries (2004) edited by Maxim Jakubowsky
76. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
77. A Certain Justice by P.D. James
78. The White Queen by Phillippa Gregory
79. A Body to Die For by Kate White
80. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
81. Murder in Volume by D.R. Meredith
82. The Cat Who Went into the Closet by Lillian Jackson Braun
83. Murder in a Mummy Case by K.K. Beck
84. The Cat Who Came to Breakfast by Lillian Jackson Braun
85. Death of a Mystery Writer by Robert Barnard
86. The Cat Who Wasn't There by Lillian Jackson Braun
87. The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
88. Standoff by Sandra Brown
89. Season of the Machete by James Patterson
90. Southern Ghost by Carolyn G. Hart
91. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
92. Crooked House by Agatha Christie
93. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
94. Hollywood Urban Legends by Richard Roeper
95. Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
96. Urban Legends by Richard Roeper
97. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
98. Debunked by Richard Roeper
99. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
100. Still Life by Louise Penny
101. A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
102. Fire by Kristen Cashore
103. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny
104. The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penny
105. A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny
106. Handle With Care by Jodi Piccoult
107. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny
108. The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
109. Double Sin and Other Stories by Agatha Christie
110. Death in Five Boxes by Carter Dixon
111. Lust, Loathing, and a Little Lip Gloss by Kyra Davis
112. The 8th Confession by James Patterson
113. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
114. The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie
115. The Case of the Mischievous Doll by Erle Stanley Gardner
116. Singing in the Shrouds by Ngaio Marsh
117. Raven Black by Ann Cleeves
118. London After Midnight by Peter Haning
119. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
120. Killer Insight by Victoria Laurie
121. Why Didn't They Ask Evans by Agatha Christie
122. Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche by Haruki Murakami
123. Between Here and April by Deborah Copaken Kogan
124. Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer's Daughter by Melissa G. Moore
125. Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin
126. Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
127. White Nights by Ann Cleeves
128. Austenland by Shannon Hale
129. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
130. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
131. I, Alex Cross by James Patterson
132. In the Wood by Tana French

Welcome to the group! Looking at your list, is there any you would recommend?

Welcome to the group! You have made a very good start on your reading year, including one of my favorites for this year - Hunger Games.

I recently read Graceling and really like it and I've got Hunger Games on the TBR pile. I'd be interested in what you thought of both.

Oh, and welcome to the group! It looks like you've read some interesting books so far this year.

Thanks everyone! I'm glad to be here!

Cauterize, I've luckily enjoyed most of what I've read this year. A couple were recommended to me by my dad, who has great taste-those would be Graceling, Hunger Games, and Interred with Their Bones. I love anything by Agatha Christie-she's my favorite author-and also always love Ngaio Marsh and P.D. James. Blonde was incredible-I really love Joyce Carol Oates, though I know some people don't. Frank Tallis is a great author as well, and I've really enjoyed both Morag Joss books I've read (the other being Half-Broken Things. Sandra Brown and James Patterson are almost always good for a good thriller. Dracula was great as well-I love vampire books.

I didn't enjoy The Strange Death of Napolean Bonaparte at all really-it had a great premise, but didn't follow through, and I felt the writing style was poor. Murderers Prefer Blondes was merely okay, as was An English Murder, and Monster of Florence was good, but in no way as good as I'd hoped it would be.

alcottacre, thanks! I loved Hunger Games and can't wait for the sequel!

loriephillips, thanks! Those were both books my dad recommended to me, and I loved them both.

Another Agatha Christie fan! Nice to meet you!

I'm currently reading her Hercule Poirot series in chronological order. At least, I'm attempting to. I keep getting distracted by other books and only on Poirot Investigates, the third book.

Good luck on getting to 75!

Hi, seasonsoflove! Glad to hear you a Ngiao Marsh fan. I love her mysteries.

Count me in as another Christie fan! Currently I'm trying to finish reading all her novels - I'm almost done! And later I plan to check out Ngaio Marsh, since I've heard I should also enjoy her writing. Poirot and Hastings together make a great pair, IMHO. They remind me of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.

Happy reading!
Angela

23. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris-I find this series fun, and quick reads, but don't tend to enjoy them as much as I've enjoyed other vampire/supernatural series.

And thank you all so much for all the kind welcomes! It's always great to meet other Christie and Marsh fans!

#5: I enjoyed Graceling as well, and have put The Hunger Games on my hold list at the library since many in this group have recommended it. I just finished an Agatha Christie, The Hollow, and sadly found it mediocre. I am a fan too, I just thought that in the book Hercule didn't do much solving, and didn't do enough weird little Belgian stuff. :) But I will put Interred with their Bones on the TBR list, thanks!

24. The Survivor's Club by Lisa Gardner
I had never read any of her books before, but found myself enjoying this one quite a bit. It was very suspenseful, particularly the last one hundred pages, and I deeply cared about what happened to the characters, to the point where I had to fight very hard not to cheat and look at the end to see what happened to them.

Cauterize-Interred with their Bones is an amazing amazing book-I really hope you enjoy it!

25. Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz-This is a hilarious great mystery series. The back of the book describes it as Harriet the Spy for adults, and that is completely wonderfully accurate.

Yup, I just finished the Revenge of the Spellmans too. I got in trouble with the wife for laughing out loud while reading in bed and waking her up!

Revenge of the Spellmans is great!

26. Defending Angels by Mary Stanton
This book was okay. Loved the characters, but the mystery wrap-up felt a big ridiculous, and I've already forgotten who the murderer was. Plus, the supernatural elements came across as a bit corny unfortunately.

OK, passing on Defending Angels. Thanks for the warning!

You're very welcome alcottacre! It was definitely one of those books you wanted to be so much better than it was.

27. In a Dark Season by Vicki Lane
I hoped to like this, and I liked it a lot more than I ever expected. The mystery took the back seat, but it didn't even matter-I was completely drawn in. I hope to read more in this series.

28. Go Fug Yourself: The Fug Awards by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
A re-read for me; I read Go Fug Yourself the website every day, and this book still has me laughing aloud at every single page.

29. Dying by the Sword by Sarah D'Almeida

I'm a huge fan of The Three Musketeers, and the mystery genre is my favorite genre, so I had to try this series where the Musketeers are the detectives. I definitely liked this-while the mystery was good, not great, the characters are absolutely wonderful. I definitely want to read the rest of this series.

#17: A new (to me anyway) mystery series to try! Thanks for the recommendation.

You're welcome!

30. Another Dead Teenager by Mark Richard Zubro
I really enjoy this author. While his books are not my all-time favorites, I love the main characters, and the mysteries are always interesting.

31. Undead and Uneasy by Mary Janice Davidson
I love this series! Funny, romantic, supernatural books. I described them to someone once as "Janet Evanovich writing about vampires".

#20: I am a fan of the Davidson series, too. I think they are a hoot.

Aren't they great alcottacre?

32. Perish by Pedicure by Nancy J. Cohen
This is a fun mystery series with a hair stylist as the protagonist. The writing occasionally gets a little indulgent and drawn-out, but the characters are really fun, and the mysteries are always different and intriguing.

33. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
If you haven't read a book by Kate Morton, you have to. Her first book published in the US, The House at Riverton Manor, and this book, are absolutely incredible. Her books are about secrets, but so much more. I consider her one of the best writers around right now.

#23: I have never read anything by Kate Morton, but I am obviously going to have to with that effusive praise!

> #23 I saw The Forgotten Garden in Borders a few weeks ago. It looks really good. I think I'll wait for the paperback though.

I saw The Forgotten Garden at Borders just yesterday. I almost purchased it because I thought it looked interesting but decided against it since I've heard nothing about it. It's going on the TBR pile now! The House at Riverton Manor looked good too.

Yay! I'm so glad more people are going to read Kate Morton-she really is amazing.

34. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
The third book in a trilogy (one I rank right below Twilight in terms of my favorites), I had become so invested in these characters I was a little afraid to read it in case anything bad happened to them. That's how amazing these books are-you can't help but love the characters so much. This book was the perfect ending to the trilogy.

35. The Freedom Writers Diary by The Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell
As a future teacher, and someone who loves and owns the movie, I knew I had to read this book-and I'm so glad I did. Beautiful, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes uplifting, but always inspiring.

36. Hello, Gorgeous by MaryJanice Davidson
Not as good as her vampire series, but still fun and enjoyable and funny.

37. Death Trick by Richard Stevenson
This is one of those rare series where I like the movies far more than the books. It was actually seeing one of the movies that got me to read another book in this series. I enjoy them, but they are not great. They are, however, good.

38. Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose
I love this movie, and so really wanted to read the play-and the play is amazing as well-actually inspired me to go watch the movie again.

39. Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl
My best friend recommended this to me, and I enjoyed it. Extremely clever premise, fun non-fiction book, pretty well-written, but doesn't inspire me to run out and grab more of her books.

Hi, You have made me want to watch Twelve Angry Men again now! I have never read the play either which is shocking.... I am going to hunt a copy down.

I'm glad clfisha! I actually just got a copy of Twelve Angry Men on DVD from the library to watch!

40. Mr. White's Confession by Robert Clark
Picked this up on a whim and so glad I did! It's absolutely amazing-the writing style, the characters, the stories told and the way they are told...this comes highly recommended from me.

#31: Mr. White's Confession looks like one I might enjoy. Thanks for the recommendation!

You're welcome alcottacre!! It really was good.

41. Wake by Lisa McMann
Incredible! I read this in one day and couldn't put it down. One of the best young adult books I've read in a long time.

42. Columbine by Dave Cullen
A very difficult read, but also an incredible one. The first tragedy I remember shaking the safety of my childhood, depicted in a new light.

#33: I already have those two on Planet TBR. I look forward to reading them and hopefully will enjoy them as much as you did.

>30 clfisha:/31: It's a great movie. The TV version, with George C. Scott, is also rather good, though the lower budget production makes the movie still the way to go.

alcottacre-I hope you enjoy them too!

TadAD-It is a great movie. I've never seen the TV version-I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

43. The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte
Really really good. I loved the inclusion of so much Three Musketeers, and the twists were really amazing-one literally made me gasp out loud.

#36: I read that one by Perez-Reverte several years ago, but have not read anything else of his. Have you? Any recommendations?

>37 alcottacre:: I've read the first two the Captain Alatriste books (Captain Alatriste and Purity of Blood) and enjoyed them. I just finished the latter last week. I've got the third in the series waiting to go.

#38: Thanks, Tad. I will look for them.

I also really enjoyed Captain Alatriste, I read it in one sitting from memory and have wanted to get back into the series. Did you see the movie? It was a great example of a bad movie adaption.

>40 avatiakh:: No, I haven't. I guess I'll avoid it if I happen to encounter it. ;-)

alcottacre, I just picked up The Flanders Panel at a book fair, and I'll let you know what I think when I read it.

44. The Museum of Dr. Moses by Joyce Carol Oates
I love Joyce Carol Oates, especially her collections of mystery and suspense short stories. I highly recommend this and her Female of the Species.

#42: I look forward to your review!

#36: I also loved The Club Dumas! I have Captain Alatriste and Purity of Blood on my shelves just waiting to be read, as well. I'm a little anxious whether or not they'll be as good as The Club Dumas which is probably the reason why I haven't started them.

>37 alcottacre: & ff: BTW, I also read his The Fencing Master. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the Alatriste stories, but I did enjoy it. The main characters are quite fascinating and, even though you begin to get a sense of what will happen in the end, it still managed to surprise me a bit.

Well, I'm another fan of Captain Alatriste, and most of Perez-Reverte's works. I had some issues with The Nautical Chart but got caught up in the story in the last half of the book. I find Perez-Reverete's writing almost lyrical, especially when he's writing about Spain.

45. By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie
Not one of my favorites of hers-less gripping, more confusing-but still good and enjoyable. The end twist was great and suspenseful!

46. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
I highly recommend Sarah Waters to anyone who hasn't read her-I first fell in love with her work when I was studying in London and we read her in a Contemporary British Fiction class, and have since read every one of her books.
This book is gripping, really creepy, and incredibly written.

> 42 The Flanders Panel is a favorite of mine. I hope you like it. Let us know what you think.

47. A Charmed Death by Madelyn Alt
Fun read. Not great enough to make me want to read the rest of the series, but still fun.

48. No Room for Doubt by Angela Dove
An incredible true crime novel-the author makes you feel every second of what she's describing. Incredibly gripping.

49. The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly
A really fun, quick read. The main characters are enjoyable, and the setting-a mystery bookstore-is great. The climax of the book was very suspenseful and well-done, and the ghost twist is a lot of fun. I could definitely see myself reading the rest of the series someday.

#51 & 52: I will look for those. Thanks for the recommendations!

You're welcome alcottacre-I hope you like them! No Room For Doubt is especially amazing.

50. (yay I hit 50!) Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

This was one of those books that you don't want to put down, because you have to find out what happened. The characters were so well-drawn and three-dimmensional, the writing was excellent, and the plot was so gripping. Highly recommended. I have to read her other book now, this one was so good.

> 54 Congrats on 50 books so far!!! I'm glad to know Flynn's new book is good. I really enjoyed Sharp Objects and can't wait to get hold of Dark Places.

Congratulations on hitting 50!

I have Flynn's Sharp Objects in my house somewhere waiting for me to read. I have to find it and then look for Dark Places as well.

Thanks so much to you both!

I just got back from a vacation where I got to read a lot, which was wonderful.

51. Daemon by Daniel Suarez
Sometimes went over my head, but found it surprisingly (compared to my usual tastes) gripping. Will definitely be reading the sequel.

52. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
The definition of a heartwarmer.

53. The Beach House by James Patterson and Peter De Jonge
So much better than his usual collaborations. Fun, gripping read.

54. The Beautiful Cigar Girl: Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Invention of Murder by Daniel Stashower
Really fascinating and well-written. Could get a little dense at times, but well worth the read.

55. Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
Not as great as I wanted it to be, but still good enough that I immediately ordered the next book in the series.

56. Promise Not to Tell by Jennifer McMahon
So so incredible. Everything about this is perfect-the style, the story, the characters...

57. The Writing Class by Jincy Willett
The format of this book is so fun, creative, and well-done. A "mystery written for book lovers".

Looks like you had a nice reading vacation!

I did alcottacre-so nice to get some good relaxing reading in!

58. A Mind to Murder by P.D. James
Not one of my favorites of hers, though I still enjoyed it. The first 100 pages read sort of like a list of places, people, and facts, but then it picked up and got quite good.

59. A Little Class on Murder by Carolyn G. Hart
A fun, easy read with a great twist. I really enjoy the setting of her books-a mystery bookstore-and the mentions of other mystery authors with information about them and their books.

> 60 A Little Class on Murder is one of my favorites from that series too. I used to read them regularly, but got out of the habit somehow.

profilerSR-That happened to me too, but I recommended one to a family member and now I've gotten back into them-I'd forgotten how much fun they are.

60. (woohoo 60!) Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon
I cannot recommend her work enough. So far my favorite is still Promise Not to Tell, but I loved this one as well. She is so good I immediately ran out and got my hands on all her books.

#62: I will have to look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation.

You're welcome alcottacre-her books are so amazing, I read all of them in less than a month and wish she already had more out.

61. The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine
This young adult series definitely has me hooked!

62. Dismantled by Jennifer McMahon
My least favorite of her three out so far, but still an amazing incredible book.

63. Fade by Lisa McMann
This series just gets better and better! I can't recommend this series enough.

64. Envy: A Luxe Novel by Anna Godbersen
This addition to a really great young adult series didn't captivate me as much as the previous two have, but was still really enjoyable and left me anxious for the next book in the series.

65. Night Work by Laurie King
A mystery and thriller that was also educational without getting preachy. Though I'm a much bigger fan of her Mary Russell series, I still really enjoyed this book.

66. Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married by Marian Keyes
A really fun, funny, sweet book. Though I did want to quite literally punch some of the characters in the face, those were the characters I was supposed to want to do that to, and I loved the characters I was supposed to love.

67. Strangers in Paradise (Volume 1) by Terry Moore.
An incredible graphic novel that I could not put down. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

68. Dear Husbands by Joyce Carol Oates
I prefer her mystery/suspense short stories, but these were incredible as well. She is one of my favorite writers. I don't read a lot of short story collections, but I always read hers.

69. The Cat Who Played Brahms by Lillian Jackson Braun
I don't love this series as much as I remember loving them when I was younger, but they're still fun. The solution to the mystery felt rushed, and a little confusing, but the characters made the book so much fun to read.

I like the early ones in the Cat Who series, but the series has not been sustained very well, IMHO.

Have you read Oates' We Were the Mulvaneys? I picked it up at a used bookstore for $2 - I've never read anything my her, but I couldn't pass up a book for $2!!

alcottacre, I completely agree with you-that's why I stopped reading them before. Then my parents were getting rid of all their old Cat Whos, so I took them and am going through them.

Cait86, I haven't, but it's at the top of my TBR pile-I've heard such good things about it-let me know what you think when you finish it!

70. The Riverman: Ted Bundy and I Hunt for the Green River Killer by Robert Keppel
Not the best true crime I have ever read. It tended to ramble and get lecture-y in terms of the facts sometimes, but still interesting.

71. Run for Your Life by James Patterson
Fun, extremely quick read-he's definitely getting back on track with his books-they're really good again.

72. Murder Walks the Plank by Carolyn G. Hart
Her mysteries are always fun, and full of great information about other mysteries/authors-and Death on Demand is so wonderfully depicted I always wish I worked there! This was another fun book of hers.

73. Quick Study by Maggie Barbieri
This is a mystery series I fell in love with by chance, having grabbed the first book off a New Books shelf in the library. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. These books are clever and funny, with good solid mysteries and suspense, and the romance between the protagonist (a wonderfully endearing professor) and her boyfriend is sweet and interesting. I highly recommend these.

Looks like you've had some great reading! I'm starring your thread to make sure I come back to it, as we seem to have somewhat similar tastes. I enjoy mysteries, but don't read as many of them as you do, and we've read a lot of the same YA books this year. I love Sarah Waters, too, though I haven't read as many of hers as I should, just Fingersmith and Tipping the Velvet. I read quite a bit of Joyce Carol Oates five or six years ago, when I was just out of high school, but kind of got out of the habit. You remind me how much I enjoyed her; I'll have to pick up some of her works again. She's so prolific!

Anyway, keep up the great work; looks like you should reach 75 very soon. :)

#73: Another series for me to try! *sigh*

Thanks so much allthesedarnbooks! I starred your thread as well. I highly recommend reading the other Sarah Waters' books.

Sorry alcottacre ;)

74. The Cat Who Blew the Whistle by Lillian Jackson Braun
I'm quickly realizing that I don't really read her books for the mystery, or rather the solution of the mystery. The solution of the mystery always tends to feel at least a little rushed, and sometimes is confusing, but the characters and events make up for the less-than-perfect endings.

75!!!! Yay!!!!! I'm so excited!!

75. The Best British Mysteries (2004) edited by Maxim Jakubowski
This was really fun, as I got a taste of a lot of different authors' work, many of whom I had never read before. I definitely preferred some of the stories to others (and one I would not have classified as a mystery), but I never had to force myself to finish one of the stories-they were all gripping in their own ways.

76. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
I love every single Stephanie Plum book, and this one was no exception. I could not stop laughing throughout the entire book. I would have liked more Morelli, but I'm a "Cupcake girl" so that doesn't surprise me.

Well done for reaching 75 :)

Congrats!

Congratulations!!!

Thanks so much!! I'm having so much fun with this group :)

77. A Certain Justice by P.D. James
While it was sometimes difficult to keep the characters straight, the book was gripping, engaging, and had great twists and turns. I really enjoyed this one.

Congrats on hitting 75!

Thanks!

78. The White Queen by Phillippa Gregory
When this book started out, I did not enjoy it as much as her others. But then it picked up like crazy and I could not put it down. It inspired me to learn more about the "princes in the Tower", and I can't wait for the next book of this series.

79. A Body to Die For by Kate White
A fun, light book with a great twist ending. Far superior to her other books I've read.

If you're interested, a great nonfiction book on the subject is The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir. She's a great historian and writes very readable books.

> 85 I'll second the recommendation of Weir's The Princes in the Tower. This book was exceptionally informative and easy to read.

Thanks so much for the recommendation! I put it on hold at the library so hopefully I'll get it soon.

80. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
I actually read this book in less than half a day. I absolutely couldn't put it down, and when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it. This series has me so emotionally involved I had to physically stop myself from flipping ahead. By far one of the best books I have ever read. I cannot wait for the next book in this incredible series.

81. Murder in Volume by D.R. Meredith
Merely "meh". Characters were not well-developed, and often acted in ways that seemed abrupt and out of character, and the writing style was far too frequently cliched and/or over the top.

#87 I recently finished Catching Fire and loved it too. I can't wait for the next in the series!

Sorry 81 was meh! Hopefully you're next read will be more enjoyable.

#89-isn't it amazing? The next in the series can't come fast enough!

#90-Yeah, it's the risk one takes when they pick up random books at yard sales-I've found some incredible ones, but some meh ones too.

82. The Cat Who Went into the Closet by Lillian Jackson Braun
A fun, quick, light read. I find her books enjoyable and fun, but nothing really special.

83. Murder in a Mummy Case by K.K. Beck
I found myself really enjoying this book, possibly enough to grab the first one in the series. The setting and characters were really fun, though I did find the end got wrapped up a little too conveniently for my tastes. But still, a really fun quick read.

84. The Cat Who Came to Breakfast by Lillian Jackson Braun
I'm realizing as I read more and more of these that they are a real comfort book. You know nothing bad is going to happen to the main characters, and things will get resolved in the end. That makes them really great, fun books, at least to me, and special in their own right.

85. Death of a Mystery Writer by Robert Barnard
A good book, with interesting characters and writing style. Could see myself reading more of his work someday in the future.

#93: I am a fan of 'The Cat Who' books as well. I really enjoy them in audio form: George Guidall (sp?) makes a wonderful Qwill.

#94-I haven't actually listened to any of them in audio book-I will have to try that. Some of them I am not crazy about, but most of the series is a fun, comfortable read with great characters.

86. The Cat Who Wasn't There by Lillian Jackson Braun
Not one of her best by far, but got good at the end. The characters were really interesting, as was the twist at the end.

87. The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
A brutal read, but also one I couldn't put down. Her writing style and characters are incredible.

I haven't read The Almost Moon yet, although it's been sitting on my shelf since it came out. I loved The Lovely Bones and Lucky, and with your recommendation, I'll have to move it up the TBR Jenga pile.

#96-It was really good, a hard but worthwhile read for sure. I still need to read Lucky.

88. Standoff by Sandra Brown
A quick, engrossing read. Her books are always suspenseful, and full of characters you get invested in. Towards the end, I couldn't put it down.

89. Seasons of the Machete by James Patterson
Definitely not his best work-all over the place and confusing. Still, interesting enough to make me finish it.

90. Southern Ghost by Carolyn G. Hart
Great characters, interesting solution.

91. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
I didn't love this like I loved Angels and Demons and The DaVinci Code but I still really liked this. There was a great twist in there I never saw coming, which just made the book even better.

92. Crooked House by Agatha Christie
Another great book of hers, with a fabulous twist ending I never saw coming.

93. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
One of the best books I have ever read. I read it in one day, and when I wasn't reading it (only when I wasn't able to be thanks to school) I was thinking about it and how much I wanted to be reading it. I almost completely missed my train stop I was so engrossed in this book.

94. Hollywood Urban Legends by Richard Roeper
I loved this! Just really fun, and really interesting. I'm getting his other urban legends book today.

I will have to look for Thirteen Reasons Why if it is that engrossing!

alcottacre I cannot recommend it enough!

95. Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
Though this one was a little too ridiculous for my tastes, it was hilarious, and really fun to read. I prefer the regular books in this series, as opposed to these between-the-numbers ones, but all the books are great.

96. Urban Legends by Richard Roeper
I love his urban legends books!!! I just found out that he did another one about the 21st century, and I can't wait to get it from the library. I've read the other two in a day each, they're so addicting.

#103: Looks like a fun read. I will have to be on the lookout for Roeper's books. Thanks for the recommendation!

You're very welcome alcottacre-I just read a third one of his and loved it. They're quick, fun, informative reads.

97. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
Not as good as I hoped, but still fun, and very interesting.

98. Debunked by Richard Roeper
Another really fun, interesting, informative book of his. I preferred the urban legends ones, but still really enjoyed this one as well.

99. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
Even though this wasn't a traditional mystery, I really enjoyed it. It was so interesting to read a fictional mystery about the Princes in the Tower. This book made me want to find more fictional books about the subject, and to read more Josephine Tey work.

#106: My favorite Tey book! Glad to see it has found another fan.

BTW: There is a Richard III group here on LT which can probably refer you to further fiction books on him. The group is located here: http://www.librarything.com/groups/richardiii

Thanks so much for the link alcottacre! I will definitely be checking that out.

100. !!!!!
Still Life by Louise Penny
I am completely hooked on this incredible series. The writing style, the characters, the relationships, the mystery-these are the perfect cozies.

101. A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
Another incredible one. I love the conspiracy/secrets thread now being woven through.

Congrats on 100 books! I just started reading Still Life and I like it so far. I've heard so many people rave about Louise Penny - I've even heard her called our modern day 'Agatha Christie', so I really hope I get hooked on her books too.

Wow! Congratulations on reaching 100!!

Add my congratulations to the rest! Nicely done.

Thank you all so much!!!

amwmsw04, I hope you get hooked too! I am about to start her third book, and already have the fourth out from the library and a request in for the fifth.

102. Fire by Kristin Cashore
The only thing that would have made this book any better would have been seeing more characters I love so much from Graceling. This book was really amazing-every character was incredibly well-drawn, and the story was gripping.

I have Graceling sitting on the table next to my couch waiting patiently to be read. One of these days, I may actually get to it!

Graceling is incredible, alcottacre-I can't recommend it more!

103. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny
My favorite of the series yet. Loved the atmosphere, the twists and turns, the moments between Gamache and Beauvoir, the showdowns, and the revelations.

going to pick up thirteen reasons why because of your list! Thanks!

AndreaBurke, I'm so glad!! Let me know what you think of it-I hope you like it!

104. The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penny
I think I loved this because it wasn't what I had expected, oddly enough. It was so interesting to me, who counts murder mysteries as her favorite genre, to read such a untypical murder mystery. The writing style was incredibly beautiful, and I can see why it won so many awards.

#116: I will have to look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation.

You're so welcome alcottacre-both my dad and I really liked it.

105. A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny
Another amazing Gamache book. I love the characters more than I can say, and the relationships are amazingly well-depicted. The mysteries are also always incredible, with a twist you never see coming but which always makes sense once you read it.

Hi - I found and starred you!

I just finished The Cruelest Month and loved it! I totally agree with what you said above. Don't you wish you could drive up to Three Pines and stay in the B&B for the weekend? What a great series!

You have an interesting book list and I know I'm going to find some great suggestions in there. I seem to have discovered only lately that I like mysteries so I have a lot of catching up to do! I see you read and liked Dark Places. I've had that one on my list. I liked Sharp Objects but it was pretty disturbing.

I am all for organizing a field trip to Three Pines :)

Me too! Me too!
Wait a minute, I'd better read the rest of the series first. :D

Hi coppers!! (It's Joanne, right?) I'm so glad you found me!! I need to star your list too-you have such an interesting list as well, I know I'll find some great suggestions! Mysteries are my favorite genre, so I can guarantee you'll find a ton of mysteries on my list-if you have any questions about what I thought of any of them, of course feel free to ask. I really liked Dark Places but it was definitely disturbing as welll.

I agree with all three of you-field trip to Three Pines! :) I want to visit the bistro and the mystery bookstore and stay in the B&B.

106. Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
This is one of those books that is so hard to read sometimes because of how good the writer and the story are-you care so deeply about the characters and what they're going through that you get physically anxious about what will happen to them, but you can't put the book down because its so gripping.

I think I will just stay in the bookstore and have food sent in from the bistro :)

Don't you love to read about the wonderful soups and sandwiches that are served up? I could gain 5 pounds on the descriptions alone!

Ooo I second the idea of staying in the bookstore and having food sent from the bistro! And then curling up with a good book in the B&B!

Speaking of...

107. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny
This is one of those books that is best described by what I said when I finished it: "Wow. Just...wow." I was reading it on my walk to the grocery store, and when I got to the store and was just a few pages from the end, I stood outside until I had finished. I cannot recommend this mystery series enough.

#125: I cannot recommend this mystery series enough.

I am with you there!

which book is the first in the series?

The first is Still Life -Louise Penny, and it really is a fantastic series.

108. The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
Good, but not as good as I wanted it to be. The writing tended to be very good, but occasionally got corny or sounded stilted or unreal. The story was definitely interesting, and gripping, but seemed to lose steam as it progressed. This is a writer I hope continues to get better with time, because she has real potential.

109. Double Sin and Other Stories by Agatha Christie
Another book that is not as good as I wanted it to be, especially considering Agatha Christie is my favorite author. The stories that were good were fantastic, but some of the stories were strange and not really in the style I've come to expect and want from an Agatha Christie story.

110. Death in Five Boxes by Carter Dickson
A fun, interesting, different mystery. I prefer his Gideon Fell books, but this was still good.

111. Lust, Loathing, and a Little Lip Gloss by Kyra Davis
I love this series-the characters are great, the mysteries are fun, the romance is great-this one of those great funny mysteries with a good plot!

seasons of love, I read Still Life based on what you said about the Three Pines series and loved it. Thanks so much!

AND I love Agatha Christie too!

AndreaBurke I am so so happy to hear that!!! And yay for another Agatha Christie fan!!! What are your favorites of hers?

112. The 8th Confession by James Patterson
This was actually quite good, a nice surprise as the quality of his books has definitely been declining recently. It got a little ridiculous at times, but was a good, gripping read.

113. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Really suspenseful and well-written. She has a really interesting style of writing that works really well for the story she is telling.

Hi! I've always meant to read The Haunting of Hill House - thanks for the reminder and glad to hear you liked it! I think the only thing I've read by her was The Lottery which was great.

coppers-you're so welcome! And yeah, The Lottery is really great-that's the first thing I read by her.

114. The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie
This is a re-read for me...I just saw the movie version, and didn't love it-it made me want to re-read the book and remember why I loved the story. The book is really incredible-great great twist at the end.

115. The Case of the Mischievous Doll by Erle Stanley Gardner
I love Perry Mason, and its been far too long since I've read one of these books. The language and writing style is so fun, and you always know there's going to an amazing dramatic twist at the end. This one was no exception.

116. Singing in the Shrouds by Ngaio Marsh
I really liked the setting, with all suspects plus detective on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean, and the set-up and reveal were very clever.

117. Raven Black by Ann Cleeves
I picked this up on a recommendation from someone here on LT, and loved it! The ending was a complete surprise, but made perfect sense looking back, which I love in a mystery. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.

118. London After Midnight by Peter Haning
A really fun collection of short mystery stories by different mystery authors, that take place in different parts of London. You get bits of history about the location, author, and detective before each story, which only adds to the fun.

Hi Becca!

I'm so glad you liked Raven Black! I love the Shetland Island location and Jimmy Perez. The 2nd book is also good and the third Red Bones is excellent. I'm only sorry that there will only be four books in the series, but maybe she'll change her mind...

Take care,
Joanne

I have Raven Black in the BlackHole already, but I am adding London After Midnight. It sounds fun. Thanks for the recommendation!

Joanne-it was so good! I've already grabbed the second one from the library, and will be putting the third on hold soon. I was definitely sorry when I read that there will only be four-I'm really hoping she changes her mind too!

alcottacre-London After Midnight is really fun-I'm glad you'll be checking it out!

119. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
This book absolutely blew me away. One of the best young adult books I have ever read. It not only lived up to all the hype surrounding it, but surpassed it.

#142: Completely agree with you about When You Reach Me. Glad to see it has found another fan!

alcottare-isn't it amazing?! I'm so glad you're a fan too!

120. Killer Insight by Victoria Laurie
Another really fun book in this series-suspenseful, funny, romantic, with a great surprise ending.

On my way home from work I stopped at the library and picked up When You Reach Me. I haven't looked at it yet, but how could I resist such raves?!

I'm putting When You Reach Me on the TBR as well. A rec from you and Stasia? Sign me up.

#145 & 146-yay! I really hope you like it!

121. Why Didn't They Ask Evans by Agatha Christie
A departure from her typical fare, but in a fun way. A light read with a great twist ending, and a lot of adventure along the way.

122. Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche by Haruki Murakami
I found this very very interesting, especially as this was an area of history I had never studied. I thought the additional section on the cult members, which was not in the original version of the book, added a lot.

123. Between Here and April by Deborah Copaken Kogan
A very difficult read in terms of subject matter, but a brilliant read in terms of writing style and storytelling ability.

#147: I do not think I have even heard of the Underground book by Murakami. I will definitely be looking for that one by him

Pinball, 1973, was Murakami's second novel, and also the second novel in his Trilogy of the Rat series. It was printed in English only for distribution in Japan and has been long out of print. There is a terrific blog called readersdiscotheque that covers novels that weave music into the story, which all Murakami's novels do. The blog uncovered a pdf of the original pocketbook edition and received Murakami's permission to make the pdf available for free (the blog has an interview with Murakami in the works). Not only can you download the novel but also all of the songs mentioned in Pinball, 1973. The cover is there, too, and it's amazing. the URL is http://readersdiscotheque.blogspot.com (if you appreciate what this blog is doing, leave a comment on the site)

Hi Becca, I just wanted to drop by and let you know that I finished When You Reach Me and loved it!

Add me to the long list of those who love the book When You Reach Me. I finished it today and am ever so glad I read it!

Thanks so much for the info and link AlexAustin!

Joanne, Whisper1, I'm so so glad you loved When You Reach Me!!

alcottacre-I had never heard of it either, but my dad was reading it, and lent it to me when he was done.

124. Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer's Daughter by Melissa G. Moore
I saw an excerpt of this in a magazine and as someone who really enjoys true crime, was instantly intrigued. It was a hard read in the sense that so many sad and horrible things happened to the author, but the writing style and the knowledge of what she would learn about her father kept me intrigued. Unfortunately, the book got very preachy at the end, which turned me off a lot, but I am still glad I read the book.

125. Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin
This was lent to me by one of my best friends, and came highly recommended by her and my best friend-and they were definitely right. The characters were all interesting and complex, the writing style was great, and the story really gripping. I definitely plan to read the rest of Emily Griffin's books.

126. Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
This was a special re-read for me...while at a book fair over the summer, I was able to purchase a 1st edition of Murder at the Vicarage, made especially thrilling because Agatha Christie is my favorite author. I have reverently reading this copy (and refusing to take it out of my apartment) and just finished it today. I have always loved this book, but reading it as a first edition just made it that much more incredible.

Shattered Silence sounds interesting, in spite of the preachy ending. Maybe I will skim that part? Lol. Thanks for the rec!

I loved Something Borrowed, as well as the rest of Emily Griffen's books! I always fly through them, and for some reason, they seem deeper than any other chic lit. books I've read. Hope you enjoy them!

I agree with Marcia about Shattered Silence. I will give it a try despite your reservation about the ending. Thanks for the recommendation!

Marcia and Stasia, it really is a worthwhile read because it is so interesting...skimming the preachy ending is probably a good idea Lol!

AndreaBurke I'm definitely planning on reading the rest! I got a huge amount of books for the holidays so I'm reading those first, but then I'm going to get the next in the series from the library.

127. White Nights by Ann Cleeves
This is an exceptional mystery series. It is as much about the characters and setting as the mystery, which works really well under this skilled writer's hand.

128. Austenland by Shannon Hale
A really fun, clever book, with wonderful characters and romance.

129. I, Alex Cross by James Patterson
Really great-suspenseful, twisted, and surprising.

130. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
As Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are my two favorite fictional characters ever, it is a given I would love these stories.

131. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
A really clever, creative, artistic, unique young adult book. The author uses incredible sketches, and actual movie stills, to tell his beautiful story.

#156: I have the first book in Cleeves' Shetland series, Raven Black, and am hoping to get to it next year.

I have read and enjoyed Austenland, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I loved the use of pictures in the last.

I kind of fell off the Alex Cross bus a while ago, but I think I need to climb back on and get caught up with the series again. Maybe next year . . .

#157 I definitely feel the Alex Cross books are still Patterson's strong suit.

Alright, I am capping in at 132 books for the year 2009!!!

132. In the Woods by Tana French
This book was incredible. The narrative style is one of the best of any book I've read-I can't give details without giving anything away, but I can definitely recommend this book very very highly.

Congrats on 132 books!

I also loved In the Woods and am planning on reading The Likeness fairly early in 2010.

Happy New Year to you! I'm looking forward to your posts in 2010!

Happy New Year!

So glad to see you liked White Nights. The next book in the series, Red Bones, is even better!

Happy New Year!

So glad to see you liked White Nights. The next book in the series, Red Bones, is even better!

Happy New Year!